Man released after questioning in Nancy Guthrie investigation

Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Authorities in Arizona detained, interviewed and released in the investigation of missing Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie.

The person, who identified himself as "Carlos," was detained by deputies of the Pima County Sheriff's Department on Tuesday, the department said. He was questioned for about four hours before being released.

The man, a delivery driver, told reporters that he had not heard about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie but hopes she is found safe. He added that he may have delivered a package to Guthrie's home.

"I hope they get the suspect, because I'm not it," he said, speaking to reporters from his home in Rio Rico, Ariz.

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The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed on Tuesday that a subject was being interviewed in relation to the investigation.

"The subject is currently being questioned in connection to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," the sheriff's department said in a statement during the man's detainment.

No other information was made immediately public, and the sheriff's department later added that "no press conference would be scheduled at this time."

DoorDash, the on-demand delivery platform, said it was "urgently investigating" to see if the detained individual was one of its drivers.

"We have reached out to law enforcement and are ready to support their critical investigation in any way we can," the technology company said in a social media statement early Wednesday.

"Like tens of millions around the world, our hearts are with the Guthrie family during this heart-wrenching time."

The development comes as the search for the 84-year-old woman enters its 11th day on Wednesday.

Authorities believe she was kidnapped from her Tucson, Ariz., home on the night of Jan. 31. She was last seen at about 9:45 p.m. MST that night and was reported missing the following day after she failed to arrive at a friend's house to watch a church livestream. It was previously reported that she was to attend church in person.

Before the unidentified individual was detained on Tuesday, the FBI released images taken from doorbell footage at Guthrie's front door the morning she disappeared that show a person tampering with the camera.

A $50,000 reward is being offered by the FBI for information leading to Guthrie's recovery.

The federal law enforcement agency said there has been no contact between Guthrie's family and the suspected kidnappers, despite a 5 p.m. Monday ransom deadline for them to pay $6 million in Bitcoin having elapsed.

The ransom was reportedly demanded in messages sent to several news outlets and has yet to be authenticated by law enforcement.

This week in Washington

Attorney General Pam Bondi speaks during a press conference at the Department of Justice Headquarters on Friday. Justice Department officials have announced that the FBI has arrested Zubayr al-Bakoush, a suspect in the 2012 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo